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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 120 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  6. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  16. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. When are we going to ________________?
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. club — a group
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. land — ground
  6. club — for golf
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. saw — the tool
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. saw — the tool
  13. club — for dancing
  14. deal — to handle
  15. fall — to drop
  16. fall — the season
  17. fall — to drop
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. land — to come down
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. pass — a permit
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. land — a country

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com